This invention relates to improved force application apparatus.
This invention has particular but not exclusive application to the preloading of mechanical elements, and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. However, it is to be understood that this invention could be used in other applications, such as the raising of loads.
In the assembly of machinery, it is often difficult to apply the necessary preloads to bolts, studs, shafts and bearings by the use of conventional screwed fasteners, particularly in the case of large machine elements. Hitherto, force applicators of the type using hydraulic pressure to apply preload to machine elements have suffered from a number of drawbacks. They must be pressurised by expensive, specialised pumps and their component shapes render them difficult to construct. Often the configuration of available applicators results in their being inconvenient to use in situations which occur frequently in the assembly and dismantling of machine components.